The Anchor SENDfriendly Independent Specialist School Achieves Flagship School Status

September 3, 2026

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Congratulations to The Anchor SENDFriendly Independent Specialist School on achieving the IQM Inclusive School Award with Flagship School status. This exceptional accomplishment recognises the school’s unwavering dedication to inclusion, equality, and ensuring that every student is seen, valued, and empowered to achieve their full potential. This well-deserved recognition celebrates the passion, expertise, and dedication of the entire school community in delivering outstanding inclusive practice and transforming the lives of the young people they serve.  

Inclusion With Heart 

The Anchor SENDFriendly School Independent Specialist is indeed a SEND friendly setting where inclusion is at the heart of the school’s practise. Every child is seen, is valued and the highest aspirations are held for each student and moments of success are celebrated.  The school has an ethos of Nurture, Respect, Kindness and Inclusion. These values can be witnessed in every interaction and many people throughout the visit talked of the “family feel” of the school.  

Personalised Learning Success 

The school is very committed to every child’s needs being met and equality here means providing each child with what they need, trying whenever possible to make this age appropriate as well as relevant to their developmental stage. The curriculum is adapted to the needs of the learner and pupil profiles are visible within the classroom environment to ensure that all staff are aware of the outcomes that the student is working towards. A high level of agency is employed to engage the learners in motivating activities. 

Every Voice Valued 

School leaders are passionate about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and have completed training in this area. There is a supportive culture that was felt by the staff, “staff members are very supportive, everyone will work as a family. Diversity – we have different cultures, but we all respect each other.” The Headteacher felt that it was imperative that, “everyone feels heard, seen and valued,” and this was echoed in the staff meeting where the staff agreed that “your voice is heard.” 

Empowering Student Voices 

The pupils at The Anchor have a profile of complex needs and there is a wide range of both low tech and high tech AAC used to encourage and develop student voice. Staff and student relationships are positive and respectful. The students are given positions of responsibility which they enjoy undertaking. Photographs are well used to record the students’ experiences. Work completed has a vast array of photographs which enable parents and carers to see progress and work is annotated by key workers so that the level of support can be explained. Assessment systems are in place to track progress towards Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) outcomes.  

Find Out More About IQM 

The Inclusion Quality Mark provides schools with a nationally recognised framework for developing and celebrating inclusive practice. 

If your school is interested in achieving the IQM Inclusive School Award, contact the IQM team on 028 7127 7857 or email admin@iqmaward.com.     

To find out more about IQM and request a free information pack, visit www.iqmaward.com.